Theft signal



L. R. ZEPKA THEFT S IGNAL Filed Dec. 20, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented July 15, 1924.

LUDWIG R. lZEPKA,1.OF. CLEVELAND, 'OHIOI THEFTTTSIGN To atl rwhom zt mayrooncem'f Cleve-land;iinntheircounty: of :Guyahoga; andiii and it11861511122IIIIPIOYGIIIQIIiSIiILiiiTlift i Sig-J4 nals,i ;of which JthGTiIfOllOWZlITgL; is ?a specif'ui cation:

This;invenisloniiemhodiessa device-which mayrirbe attachedr to'rthel Wifidliislllfildi ofrria motor .vehiclezto the Lvehicle,*:being adapted-to"displaya warns;

of the vehiclei's absent therefrom, andrseeksg as OIlQTOZE its-principal objects;;- toiprovide' a device lwhich" will successfully; combine the.

factors of .extremeistructural'simp'licityi ands ivenien tly entirert'eificiencyfi in practical 21158.1 Thewi-nventioniseeksgias afurther-obj set; to 2 proyidet? a device :whi'chramay --:be3 readily apt-.11? plie diuto a. wind shieldiraih; Andztheizinventionaseeksgas rat still furthers; object, to:providexa-v device .:wl1'icl1,?whenthe? signalzplateaof the: device is active-,vwill: :be:

lockedz-ragainsti removal fromi-ivzthe"..rwind SlllGlCl'; v

Otheritandia incidental .bbfectsi'wi-l-l ap'pean hereinafter;

Inftheildrawings'zw Figure;?-1 is ;a perspective viewsof: myzims "5 provedi afdevice'tshowing the 'sign'al 'aplate of f theizdevicetiactivef Figure' flis a: rear elevation showingrthe tr signal plateiiinactive,

Figure 3 is a sectionalview on thetlinez" 3-30f :Fi'g ure Q, "looking in the directioirof the arrows,

F igure i is a 'sectional-vie'w on the line H of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 5 is a perspective View showing a slight modification of the invention, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ an oblong base block 10 which is preferably formed of metal and is provided at its rear side with a longitudinally extending concave channel 11 and at opposite sides of said channel with flat faces 12. In use, the device is preferably attached to the bottom rail of a wind shield and, in Figure 4, I have conventionally shown a wind shield at 13. The bottom rail of the wind shield is indicated at 14 and, as will be areprovided-andengaged'through said openextending through the lock. Threaded upon the bolts: at -their r rearLiends-arenuts :16 beneath which are- "arranged"lock iwashers 17 Sand; "as Will be *o'breserved;v the nuts are accommodated in re-'- 15068563 18 in the block. aprovideiria thefts-signalsforirsome windzshieldsfare*fi'at, :the block is pro-f Since the" rails' of v videda With thei-flat' fac'esw12 to seat flat ing signaliwhentherownernor rightfuldriver=tagainst-a fla'timindshield-railand; in this connection hicle;

wal liof "i'said rrccess at wind-shield so that the device will' becon accessible ,1 i from with'in- "the ve-T Formed-"in the block-medially there"-' of is arecessxl-Q'andrdep'ending from thetopi block'iis a flangeforining ';a strike plate-2O havingxia beveled '-face="21 .;i

Formedi on theeb lock its lower face are if spaced forwardly "directed" lugs- "22 and hinged-:wuponfi said lugspis a signal plate 23. As particularly brought outin Figure 2,

'theesign'als plate is provided" at its lower edge with spaced lugs Q f mating rgwith the :7 lugs ".22 -"of th'e' base-eblockwand engaged l yfm unti the 's plates Surround-hr.

lngonemf :saidipinsiis 'a* springi26' eoactingiz i' 1310111and3T2LS Wlll F be observe'd'ssaid lugs areat its ends 'rwithiadjacentlugspf t'the 'bas'e block andr'plate for n'ormally swinging-the signal plate downwardlyf'toinactive posi notched at their" confronting faces to' 30% -11 commodate th'e springs plate at its forward side is an a pro riate lock 27 having a spring presse b0 t 28. Thus, as shown in Figure 3, the signal plate may be swung upwardly to active position, when the lock 27 will be received within the recess 19 of the base block while the bolt 28 will ride over the beveled face 21 of the strike plate 20 to engage behind said plate locking the signal plate active. The barrel of the lock projects, of course, through the signal plate, so that a key may be readily inserted in the lock for retracting the bolt and freeing the signal plate, when the spring will then function to again swing said plate downwardly to inactive position.

R-iveted or otherwise secured upon the signal plate at its forward side is a sign Mountedeupon "the plate 29 which may bear the word Parked,-

or other suitable inscription and, 1 if pre ferred, such inscription may be imposed directly upon the signal plate, eliminating the sign plate. Accordingly, as will be seen, when the signal plate is disposed in active position, the sign plate will be displayed at the rear of the wind shield for indicating the absence from the vehicle of the rightful driver or the owner thereof, and attention is now directed to the fact that when thesignal plate is thus disposed inactive position, said plate will overlie the recesses 18 in the base blockcovering the nuts 16 upon thebolts'15. Accordingly, access to thesenuts will be impossible so that wrongful removal of the bolts and displacement of the device from the wind shield rail will be prevented.

In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, I

have illustrated a slightmodification of the invention wherein'the base block of the device is indicated at 30 and the signal plate at 31. In this modification, the recess 19 in the base block, as employed in the preferred construction, is eliminated and in lieu thereof the base block is provided at its rear side witha rearwardly directed eye 32. Thelock upon the signal plate, as illustrated in the preferred-construction, is also eliminated, and in lieu thereof the plate 31 is provided with a slot 83 to .freely accommo date said eye, so that the signal plate may.

in and formed with a flange extending into said recess, a signal plate swingingly mounted upon the block and movable to active position projecting beyond the block to display a signal, and a lock carried by said plate to be accommodated in said recess in the active position of the plate coacting with said flange securing the plate active.

2. A theft signal for motor vehicles including a base block shaped to fit a wind shield rail, a signal plate associated with the block and adapted to abut one face of the block projecting beyond the lines thereof in active position, and means for locking the signal plate active. I

3. A theft signal for motor vehicles in cludinga base block to abut a wind shield rail, means securing the block upon the rail and including removable elements exposed at one-face of the block, a signal plate adapted to abut said faceof the block in active position covering said elements, and

means for locking the signal plate active.

4:. A theft signal for motor vehicles in-v cluding a base block to abut a wind shield rail, and provided at one face thereof with recesses, bolts extending through the rail and block into said recesses, nuts upon the bolts securing the block in position, a signal plate adapted to abut said face of the block in active position covering the recesses, and means for locking the signal plate active.

5. A theft signal for motor vehicles in cluding'a base block to abut a wind shield rail, means securing the block upon the rail and including removable elements exposed at one face of the block, the block being provided at said face thereof with a recess, a signal plate swingingly mounted upon the block and movable to abut said face thereof in active position covering said elements, and a lock mounted upon the plate at its inner side and adapted to be received in' said recess coacting with the block for securing the signal plate active.

i In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LUDWIG n. ZEPKA. L 3. 

